File this under: "Products you never knew you needed but now can't live without."

I snickered when found a sample packet of Bain de Terre Scalp Scrub in an event gift bag - now this is pushing it, I thought. They're trying to convince us that our scalps require exfoliation?

I was skeptical to the point of disdain. Scalp scrub? Really? There's no way one could actually get any utility out of a product like this. But then I decided to try it, and by Jove, I'm eatin' my words.

Let's cut to the chase: using this scalp scrub just once extended the life of my blowout by at least 36 hours. I wash my hair every other day, and it's usually oily roots and that "hair smell" that cause me to lather up. My actual strands could go another day still looking great, but the roots...ugh. With the scalp scrub, I washed my hair on a Monday morning and it didn't start to feel dirty until Thursday afternoon.

Convinced yet?

The Scalp Scrub smells deliciously of brown sugar and figs, and has that chunky texture that's the hallmark of sugar scrubs. I worked it in before shampooing, giving my scalp the same attention that my body gets when I'm doing my pre-tan scrub. I was a little concerned that the granules would get stuck in my hair, but most dissolved after a few minutes and the others washed away easily with shampoo.

My scalp was left feeling considerably cleaner, and I guess the amount of dead skin cells and product buildup removed by the scrub was enough to keep it clean an extra day. Nice! This product is perfect for busy workweeks, weekends away when you don't want to wash your hair, and anytime you want to spare your strands from another round with the shampoo and heat styling tools.

$15 for four 0.85 oz tubes and worth every penny.